Santa Monica College Divisions Reorgainzed

A major reorganization designed to improve Santa Monica College administratively and academically has been approved unanimously by the school’s Board of Trustees.

The reorganization plan, endorsed by faculty leaders, will increase the college’s four academic divisions to six.

This structure will be workable “not only from an administrative point of view, but also from an academic one,” said Darroch Young, who was appointed acting assistant superintendent for education at Monday’s meeting.

He will replace James B. Fugle Jr., who retires Aug. 31.

The restructuring will not increase costs in the school’s 1986-87 budget of $33.8 million because it involves the reassignment of existing personnel, according to President Richard Moore.

New personnel eventually will be hired at a cost of about $100,000, he said.

The increase in divisions was suggested by a faculty committee.

“We became aware that some divisions were large and had become unwieldy, such as the Letters and Science Division,” said Elizabeth Hiteshaw, a member of the faculty committee and president-elect of the academic senate.

Under the old plan, the Letters and Science Division encompassed nine departments, including English, mathematics, life sciences and social studies. The Applied and Performing Arts Division included such diverse departments as business, cosmetology, health occupations and theater arts. The remaining divisions were Physical Education and Occupational Education.

Under the new plan, the six divisions will be Letters, including the English, social studies and foreign language departments; Science, including life science, Earth and physical sciences, behavioral studies and health occupations; Arts, including art, music, theater, graphic arts, communications and applied design; Technical Arts, including automotive technology, trades and cosmetology; Physical Education and Athletics, and Business and Math.

The restructuring provides for six division heads, which will be “more effective and more workable for the faculty,” said Charles R. Donaldson, president of the academic senate.

Donaldson, Young and Hiteshaw served on the faculty study committee with former senate president Kent Hodson and Herb Roney, administrative dean of students.

Appointed to head the new divisions starting Aug. 1 were Peter Geltner, acting dean of business and math; Vera Martinez, dean of letters; Robert Silverman, dean of science; James D’Angelo, dean of physical education and athletics; Suzanne Nissen, head of the Arts Division, and Herb Schlackman, dean of technical arts.

Other assignments include Robert Adams, acting dean of student activities; Lynn Boylan, acting dean of institutional research and planning, and Dorothy Gelvin, dean of curriculum.